Monday, December 16, 2019

MIDGE URE/SOUNDTRACK 1978-2019 (2CDs/DVD) review!

MIDGE URE

SOUNDTRACK 1978-2019

(2CDS + DVD)

Available NOW!

Even with his numerous musical
achievements over the last four decades, Midge Ure is still not a household
name in the States. And that, dear reader, must change. For those who may still
wonder who Midge Ure is, let’s get
you caught up: He was a member of mid-‘70s Scottish Glam pop band Slik before joining Punk/Post-Punk
supergroup Rich Kids (with former
Pistol Glen Matlock, Rusty Egan, and
Steve New). He then spearheaded the
New Romantic scene by co-founding Visage
with Egan and Steve Strange. Ure was
recruited as a temporary member of Thin
Lizzy to fulfill tour dates and do some recording, He then joined Ultravox after the departure of their
original vocalist John Foxx. Ultravox
became one of the most respected and popular New Romantic/Synth bands in the
UK. Midge then helped Bob Geldof
write one of the biggest-selling benefit songs of all time, “Do They Know It's
Christmas?” He was also responsible for the production of the Band-Aid single
as well as being heavily involved with Live Aid. He has since pursued a solo
career, reuniting with Ultravox for an album and few short tours before
resuming his solo work.There’s a lot more
to Midge’s career but those are some of the highlights. If that resume
intrigues you, then you’ll want to experience Midge’s music first-hand and SOUNDTRACK
1978-2019 is a fantastic starting point.

The Scottish singer/songwriter
may have initially been rejected by early Ultravox fans when he replaced John
Foxx, but he has since become the face and most familiar voice of the band.
Oh, and what a voice. Midge Ure is as cool and suave as Bryan Ferry, but
his vocals are also comforting and intimate. Never distant or detached, Midge mixes
confidence with vulnerability. When New Romantic and Synthpop ruled the
airwaves in the ‘80s, his voice provided humanity and warmth to any project he
was involved with. In fact, it still does. It must be said, though, that Midge brings
Rock bravado to the party, rarely relying solely on synthesizers. His guitar playing
can sway from intimate to intense, never overpowering the mood of the song. If
you still aren’t convinced, one spin of SOUNDTRACK 1978-2019 and you’ll
wholeheartedly agree.

Featuring a generous selection
of solo recordings mixed with tracks by Ultravox, a song from Rich Kids, and
collaborations with Mick Karn (Japan), Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17),
Rusty Egan, Band Electronica,KateBush, Shiller and Moby, SOUNDTRACK
1978-2019 is an excellent collection for fans, new and old. The two CDs
feature 32 non-album tracks, single edits, and album versions of songs spanning
41 years including “Vienna” (Orchestral Version), “Dear God” (7” Version),
“Fade To Grey” (the Visage classic performed with Band Electronica), “Dancing
With Tears In My Eyes” (7” Version), “The Man Who Sold The World”, “Breathe”
(7” Version), and many others. The accompanying DVD contains 16 videos, Audio
Commentary by Midge, three live performances with Band Electronica, two videos
from his Orchestrated project, two EPKs and one documentary. To say that this
is a treasure trove of great Electronic-based Pop is an understatement.

There have been other Midge
Ure collections in the past but this set focuses a bit more on his over-looked solo
career, which makes this essential even if you have some or all of the other
compilations on the market. SOUNDTRACK 1978-2019 deserves a prime
spot in your personal collection.